And He Despaired
by Shizeek
Summary: Erik and Charles were best friends, until Charles broke the most important promise they had ever made. Uh, a little something, something that's been floating around my head, AU, Cherik slash, If you think it needs something more, you know what to do.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I keep my eyes down, staring at the page in front of me and focusing entirely on the words there. Except, I keep reading the same line over and over. Not wanting to start again, but not trusting my mind to stay focused, if I tried to read past. I lick my lips, but my tongue is as dry as my mouth. I shake my head, and clench my jaw, keeping focused on the sentence.

_And when he woke and saw what he had done, he despaired._

I read the line again. And again, and after I am done, I read it again. How ironic that this is the sentence I can't get past. When I am trying to keep my mind still, trying not to draw attention to it, knowing that it wasn't safe. Not here, not anywhere. I read the line again. That sentence, brought it all back, yet by reading it over and over, I kept the memory at bay.

_Would it be so wrong to remember?_

The breath catches in my throat and my eyes widen, the voice in my head isn't mine, but it feels just as at home, as if it were. I was so used to it. After all it belonged to my best friend. It _had_ belonged to my best friend. But after the weekend, I couldn't say, that that was still, who he was.

My heart beats in my ears, thinking of the weekend. I push the memory away, struggling to keep my face still. Re-focusing on the sentence and willing my mind to be quiet again. I hear quiet chuckling and know that I am one, of only two, who can hear it. I look up at the teacher, sitting at his desk, willing the redness I feel spreading across my cheeks, to fade, embarrassed that the phantom voice, was very aware of my struggling mind.

I have no doubt, that if I just stood up and walked out, there would be little to no consequences. After all, I was renowned for my unruly attitude and had walked out of nearly all my classes, including this one, at least once. This teacher, Mr. Gilmore, would most likely give me a slip, granting me permission to be out of class, if I had the inclination to stand next to his desk.

_But why? Why do you want to leave again...?_

I bite the inside of my lip, to keep from replying aloud, and organise the response into thoughts. _You know why. What I did. What _WE_ did!_ I feel his grin in my mind, which only adds fury, to the confusion and shame already swirling inside me. The metal brackets on the desks in the classroom begin to shake. A few squeals are emitted from the more faint hearted girls, and murmurs of "earthquake" rumble from the other students.

_Erik, you need to calm your mind._

My hand begins to shake, as a scowl contorts my face. The others in the class scramble under their desks, even Mr. Gilmore, descends beneath the wooden frame that he sits at. A hand grasps my arm and I spin to face its owner, the desks all jumping an inch from the ground, as I do. The blonde looks at me, not scared but wary. I stare back at her, relishing the relief, but not able to completely hide the slight disappointment, that it is her hand on me.

"We need to get under the table." She looks around, eyes wide as the tables slam to the ground, still shaking. _Just get under the table with her, forget the weekend._ I nod, half to her and half to myself, and slide under the desk, pulling her under with me, trying to concentrate on the way she was clinging to me. Trying to enjoy it.

_Trying... Not succeeding._

My scowl returns. _Get out of my head._ It is not a request, but I feel the smile that is his reply, taunting me, as flashes of the weekend invade my head. All the metal in the room begins to vibrate and the girl moves closer. I flinch at each flash, revealing glimpses of the damage that had been done.

_Now, Erik. It is not like you to be sorry for your actions._

His laughter tingles in my head and I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block him out. The girl unwittingly, provides a distraction, as she burrows her face into my neck, terrified.

And I feel it. The flashes pause, as a surge of... annoyance overrides them. Making the most of the lull, I wrap my arms around her, and am rewarded as annoyance gives way to anger. I let a smirk play over my lips, as a new way to get him out of my head, presents itself. The desks around us begin to quiet and cease to move.

"Emma?" She looks up at me, as I say her name, blue eyes calming as the room settles around us. "Are you alright?" She nods, but doesn't relinquish her hold on me. I smile down at her, enticingly, "Did you wanna, go somewhere?" I shrug slightly, "Get some air?" The panic in her eyes vanishes and she gives me a tantalizing smile back.

"Air, sounds good." She murmurs, nodding.

_ERIK!_

I stop myself from cringing at the explosive voice in my head, as we climb out from under the desk. _Charles, you need to calm your mind. _I think back at him, getting to my feet and pulling Emma up behind me. She smiles up at me and takes my hand, pulling her bag over her other shoulder.

_Erik._

The voice is more sedate this time, almost sombre. I ignore it, as Emma smiles over her shoulder at me, giving my hand a tug.

_Please... don't._

I pause, mid-step. There was no mistaking the pain in his voice this time. It takes me only a moment to look at him, meeting his steady gaze, for the first time in days. His eyes, bright and deep blue, crinkled, with his unsaid plea, the left surrounded by purple-ish bruising. I feel my resolve waver. Whatever happened, he _WAS_ still my best friend.

"Err, class I think it would be a good idea if we move outside, just in case." Mr. Gilmore's shaky voice breaks the connection and Emma gives my hand another tug, as the other students begin to file out. I shoot him one last look, then allow her to lead me out, sending one more thought back to him, avoiding the devastation in his eyes...

_I'm sorry Charles, I can't do it._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I try to enjoy it. Try not to let the look on his face as I walked out, invade my head. But every time I close my eyes... There it is. There _HE_ is. Even when the girl walks out in only her underwear, his face stays put.

I go through the motions, letting her pull off my turtleneck. Watching her move down my bare chest, letting my head fall back, eyes closed, as she works on removing my belt. I want to enjoy it, this time last week, I would have. But after the weekend... _Dammit Charles!_ I curse him, doubting I would ever enjoy anything again.

The memory comes back, without his help. He had used his powers on me. Something we'd both promised not to do. He had made me think something... He had started it all. And by the time I realised what he'd done, well, by then it was too late to stop, the damage was done. The line I'd been reading over and over, once again ran through my head.

_And when he woke and saw what he had done, he despaired._

I had passed out in a drunken haze, woke in the morning, saw the after affect's of what had happened and left, without a word, certain there was nothing he could do to fix what he had broken. _Nothing short of erasing the memory._

I open my eyes. _Would it be better though... _NOT_ knowing? _I can't answer my own question. I could say, yes. But it wouldn't be entirely truthful. I could say no, but again, it wouldn't be the complete truth. I'd never seen that side of him before, I had glimpsed it, but he had never allowed himself to be that... uncontrolled.

He had shown a dark side that even I had stepped back from. We had been best friends since our first year at school, when we realised we both had gifts and in all those years, I had never suspected he could be like that. He was always the responsible one, the one who held me back, made me think before I acted impulsively or rash.

I feel a tug on my belt as Emma manages to free it. She smiles at me and my stomach lurches. _This is wrong._ I stop her hand, as she reaches forward, shaking my head.

"I'm sorry, I can't." I stand, still holding her hand. She looks at me, the confusion on her face, reflecting my state inside. I reach out to my belt and it flies up to my hand. "I need to go. Rain check?" I shoot her an awkward grin, then snatch up my top and I walk out, leaving her on the floor.

I walk, no destination in mind, but trying to get to the undecided place, as fast as I can. I shoot a group of girls walking past, a grin, pulling my top over my head as they cover smiles and whisper in a group.

"Hey, Erik." I don't stop as Emma calls out. She runs to catch up with me, struggling to keep pace, when she does. She pulls the over coat she had thrown on, tighter and knots the ties.

_My friend, where are you?_

I toss my head, trying to rid it of his voice. The girl next to me looks up concerned.

"Are you okay? What's the matter?" I string my belt through the loops at my waist.

"Uh, I just have a head ache." I brush her query off.

"It's just, you took off real fast."

"Yeah, sorry about that." I answer vaguely, not willing to talk about the problem with myself, let alone some random girl.

_I thought you realised when we were six, that hide and seek was not a game we should play._

I grit my teeth, it was true, it had been part of the reason I had found out about his ability, the way that no matter where I hid, he always found me. Not much had changed in the years following, he still always found me. _Stay away from me Charles._ I think the thought at him with as much force as I can muster.

_You will have to talk to me eventually._

I shake my head again, realising that the blonde next to me was talking.

"-and I thought it was just going to be fun. No pressure or anything." I look at her, slightly blank, nodding slowly and trying to fill in the blanks.

"Yeah, just not today sorry, my heads killing me. I'm just going to lie somewhere dark and hope it goes away." I give her an apologetic look, then look past her, the figure leaning against the wall, immediately grabbing my full attention. He stands there, looking at us with fire, middle and forefinger at his temple.

_Erik, you could do so much better then Sparkle's there. You _HAVE _done better._

"Let's go to the..." I give him a look of warning and take Emma's arm, feeling she should have a lot of distance between her and the blue eyed telepath, giving her that small, menacing smile.

_Did you know that Ms Frost is terrified of ants..._

I frown, confused, until Emma screams. I take a step back as she begins batting at her arms in horror.

"GET THEM OFF!" She shrieks, as I try and find her phantom assailants.

"Get what off?" I want to help her, but I don't know how.

"THE ANTS!" She rips her at her jacket. I look up at Charles, whose smile, widens to a grin. I walk past the frantic girl, as a crowd begins to gather.

"Stop it, Charles." He straightens at my approach.

"I told you, you'd talk to me."

"Stop it, now!" I yell at him, pointing behind me to Emma, who was now jacketless and clawing at her arms, bloody scratches beginning to appear.

"No."

I grab at his arm, trying to break the connection. His free hand reaches up and I am to slow to dodge it. He forces me still, hand at my head, and I freeze, unable to fight him.

_You should know that I would never let anyone hurt you. And that is what she,_ he flicks his head at the girl, _will do. She'll hurt you, Erik, and I won't allow that._

_You hurt me Charles._

I don't even mean the thought to come out, like a slip of the mind, rather than tongue. Pain, worse than anything I'd ever felt before, wells up. He was once again, breaking the most important promise we'd ever made. That we would _NEVER_ use our powers on each other. I look down, the most I can do against his mental assault. But I feel him tense and the girl's shrieks turn down to sobs.

I look back up. His face is frozen, eyes locked on me. I look away again, shame overcomes the pain. Shame at being unable to do anything. Shame that I cared what was happening to the girl, that this was what _HE_ had reduced me to. In one night, the tables had turned. And now, everything was a mess.

And it was _HIS_ fault.

"I'm sorry." His hand moves, down slightly, almost tenderly. I look back at him and his face is covered in sorrow. He licks his lips and turns away, letting go of his hold on me as he does. I watch him walk for a second and turn away, ignoring the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach and returning to the girl's side.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I slip out of the room. Emma had sobbed herself to sleep after we had visited the nurse and returned to her room. There was no serious injury, mostly scratches, mostly sub-conscious.

He had done it to protect me. Even if it was entirely uncalled for, he had done it for me. I shake my head frustrated. He justified it, because he was doing it for me. We were best friends, had been for so long, I couldn't just forget that.

"Where are you?" I think out loud. I would help him. There was no doubting that he was my best friend. Even after what he had done, I would eventually forgive him for that.

Eventually.

Until then, I would be there at his side, helping him through this... rough patch? I shake my head, _I don't even know what to call it. A phase?_ He had never previously shown even an inclination towards this, this, behaviour, so, violent, so, unlike him.

Shame bubbles, again, in the pit of my stomach, shame I didn't realise what was happening, that I didn't bring him to his senses. Shame, that I didn't stop, when I did realise. If I had been stronger, this wouldn't have happened. _I should have been looking after him._

_But you were..._

He shows me where he is, looking down from the roof of B block. I set off at a run, and in minutes, I'm pushing open the door to the roof. He doesn't turn as I approach, remaining leaned, nonchalantly, against the rail. I move to the rail on his right and join him in watching those below.

"So how is Sparkles?" I raise an eyebrow at the name, so he clarifies. "Ms Frost."

"She's sleeping."

"And before our little... encounter?"

"Ah, yes, she was... eager." He snorts and I catch his rather loud thought.

_I bet she was. _I smile, even unspoken, his words were filled with poison.

"Very, but, then I remembered. I prefer brunettes." I shoot him a grin, "I didn't know you had a problem with her."

"It's actually a rather new development." He gives me a sarcastic smile, and my face falls at the sight of the purple bruising, around his left eye. He looks away quickly, hiding the eye from view again. I almost reach out and stop him, before catching myself. He eyes my slightly outstretched hand from the corner of his eye, keeping the other safely out of my view.

I look at him and hesitantly raise my hand closer. Unsurprisingly he leans away, suspicious. I feel a knot form in my stomach, _Why wouldn't he lean away? I mean I'm the one who gave him the black eye._ I push the thought away, and reach out to his face again, quickly, not giving him the chance to move away further. I give him a stern look as I turn his head to face me.

He rolls his eyes and looks over my shoulder, into the distance. I examine the bruising, pressing it gently, as he winces, also noticing a thin cut on his lip, I run a finger over it, feeling the bump that signalled it was healing. I look up, as his eyes flick to my face at the touch, but they look away, just as quickly.

_And when he woke and saw what he had done, he despaired._

"What happened, Charles?" I say it flatly, and his eyes returned to my face, slightly narrowed.

"You should know. You did it."

"I don't mean this." I run my fingertips over his eye, letting my arm drop, when it reached his chin. "What happened?" I ask again, and when he shows no sign of answering, "You promised you wouldn't use your ability on me."

"You were so drunk, I barely had to use it." He turns away again, leaning back on the rail. I let out a breath. "Besides Erik, you weren't exactly complaining at the time." I stay where I am, taking his words in.

"You used your powers to make me do it." He looks at me sideways, smiling slightly.

'No Erik, I used my power to get your attention. But at the end, Erik, that was all you."

"Why." I look back at him, confusion on my face. "Why did you start it?" He gives a half hearted laugh, eyes still on me.

"You really have to ask." I stare back at him, until he looks away, back over the rail. "It really isn't that hard to figure out Erik." He glances back at me, "And your top is inside out."

I look down, and see the tell tale seams that should be in the inside. I flick him an embarrassed look that I hadn't noticed sooner, and pull the offending clothing back over my head, pulling the sleeves free so it is the right way in. His eyes run over me before flicking back over the rail.

"Well, well, well, speak of the devil..." I shove my arms through the sleeves and move back to the rail, where Charles is eyeing a figure on the ground. "Sparkles is very persistent. She's looking for you." I look over at him, he has his middle finger and forefinger to his temple, mocking smile on his lips. I look back to the ground and find Emma.

"Charles." I step closer to the rail as the girl walks on, unawares. "Charles, don't." I give up on getting the turtleneck back on and drop it to the ground, grabbing hold of the other mans arm. "Don't!" He was doing it again, acting like me. And I was forced to take on his role. "Leave her alone, Charles." His fingers don't move, but his eyes meet mine and he smiles slyly.

"Make me." He throws the challenge out there, and I immediately tense, preparing to match his right eye, with his left. _You don't need to hit me Erik, you can if you want, but you don't NEED to._ I hesitate at his thought.

_How...? _I look at the girl. _Please, Charles, just let her go._ He smiles and turns to face me.

"You know how, think back." He winks at me, and reminds me _OF_ me. I blink and suddenly my head is full of images from the weekend. That same look he has now, different clothes, alcohol, a girl... My eyes snap open, as one of the images blocks out the others.

I go to take a step forward, but instead of one step, I float right over to him, willing the metal embedded in the soles of my shoe's to rise. His eyes widen slightly, then narrow, as I stop right in front of him_ Stop it NOW!_. I reach up with one hand and force his arm down, breaking the contact between his fingers and his temple, pinning him between me and the rail. I put my hand to the back of his head, and pull his face forward, covering his lips with mine.

I do it roughly, out of necessity. Holding his face to mine, fingers of one hand tangled in his hair, fingers of the other hand tangled with his. I feel his free hand trailing up my back, and I shove him harder against the rail, smothering my smile at his whimper, with his lips, then growling a reprimand at him as he digs his nails into my back. I pull back slightly, listening to him breath.

I take a quick look over the side, ensuring Emma was free from torment. He moves to reach up with his free hand, but the watch at his wrist works against him and I pin that arm too. I shake a finger in front of his face.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Charles." He stares defiantly up at me and I can't help my smile. He was handsome, he had never had trouble getting girls, but I had never seen him like this before, and never seen him, look _AT_ me, like this. I leaned forward, until there is only the slightest of gaps between our lips.

"If she touches you again, Erik, I will kill her."

"Shhhhhhhh." He turns his head away from mine, annoyed at my dismissal, but I follow, his face with mine.

"And if you touch her..."

I see the worry in his eyes. Of all people, he knew best how bad my track record was with relationships. I let him go and take a step back. If this _WAS_ a relationship, I couldn't swear I wouldn't, knowing that it could quite possibly be a lie. I open and close my mouth a few times, then look down, lips pressed together. He takes a few steps over and I look up, reaching out to take my top, he had picked up for me.

"Okay, I admit, that may have been, slightly, fast. The whole, threatening to kill, thing. Not that that means I won't do it."

"Well..." I shrug, pulling the top on. He reaches out and straightens it. "We have been threatening to kill each other since we were five, so, I'll let it go this once." I grin at him before looking away awkwardly, at the intimacy of the moment. "I don't know what this is Charles."

"I'm sure we will find out." I nod at him and we go back to looking over the rail at those scurrying below.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I look up from my book. Charles sits leaned back against the chair, watching me.

"You're meant to be studying." I comment, dropping the pen I held and stretching my fingers.

"I am." He keeps the same smile on his face, the one that makes me ache. _The subject? You._ I allow myself a smile of amusement, at his thought. "I am at the top of our class Erik, I think I can allow myself a night off. We should go out and get something to eat."

"Unfortunately, we are not all as studious as you, Charles, and as much as I would like to, I really have to finish this."

"Come on Erik. You need to eat." He says, leaning forward, and closing my book from across the table. It doesn't take much more pestering for me to give in, not that it ever did. I happily abandoned my studies, at the promise he would help when we returned.

The diner, where we chose to eat, was our favourite and we ate our meals, at ease. Conversation was easy, like old times. I found myself looking at him, thinking how much I missed this. Talking, laughing, it used to be so easy. Now it was, at times, awkward. Full of silences and glances, unsaid words.

"Really, Erik. You're going to make me blush, if you keep staring like that." I look away chuckling, even that was a comment he would have said before, well before that night. With no hidden meaning, just bringing me back to the present.

"We should get back. I need to get on to this assignment if I want any sleep tonight."

We get the check, and make our way back to the room. I get back to my study and only look up as I hear the tinkling of glasses. Charles pours himself a double-malt, then offers the next poured glass to me. I raise an eyebrow.

"Not that I don't think it is an excellent idea, alcohol fuelled study, but since when has it been a practise of yours?" I take the drink that he still offers and lean back in the chair as he chuckles.

"You make me sound like some choir boy, Erik. If remember correctly, I am usually able to out drink you." I snort at this truth.

"And if I remember correctly, I call you a cheat every time." I smile back at him, and sip the drink. He moves next to me and looks down at the book on the table.

"Ah, the essay for English." I nod.

"He killed his family and then went on a spiralling descent into madness. That's what happened, but I will fail if that is what I write."

""Yes, but see, his descent has already started before the killings." He leans forward and points out a paragraph. "There are indicators, the voices, the hallucinations."

"How do you analyze the thought process of a crazy man?" I give the book a look and shake my head, taking another sip of the whisky. He smiles at me sideways.

"You're so cute when you are at a loss for what to do next."

"Cute..." my eyes widen at the unexpected word.

"Yes." I don't look at him, a dropping feeling in my stomach. When he moves his hand from the back of the chair, to my shoulders, I jump up, and walk away from him. _Things were finally getting back to normal. Don't start this again._

_Why, there is nothing wrong with this, Erik. If you'd only allow yourself to see._

"I have said it before, Charles." I round on him, smiling without humour, "No." His eyes narrow.

"Why are you fighting it?" _You know you enjoyed it, I know you enjoyed it._

I clench my jaw, and shrug, smile still firmly in place. _Fine, if that's how you want it._ He takes a step back at my hostile approach. I grab his wrists and keep moving forward, forcing him back against the wall.

"Is this what you want?" My face is hard, as I scan his eyes. I snort as I see the thing that I had hoped not to see again, willingness. He wanted this, I shake my head and push him back. "There's something wrong with you." I snarl at him, my body tense.

"Why?" His voice is small, but not submissive, it was calmly defiant. "What is so wrong with being attracted to the person, and not the gender?"

"The gender?" I look around, "You, one night just decided, 'I like the look of him' instead of her?"

"You did." I almost snarl at him. He stands there, straight and steady, hands now in his pockets. This was him, calmly arguing his point. It was infuriating. He doesn't move as I walk back.

I wanted to scare him. I wanted him to know, that he was not to do this again. I push him back against the wall, hand at his throat, but he is far from scared. His eyes shine, at the menacing look on my face.

The nails around us begin to pop from the wall, I spin him around, not wanting to see that look, not wanting to see how far he now was from being my old friend. I lean into him, forcing him harder against the wall.

"Is this what you want?" I growl into his ear, and press my whole body against his. He turns his head and I see a small eager grin on his face. "Do you want me to fuck you Charles?" The grin fades and is replaced by a frown at my coarse language, which tasted as vulgar in my mouth, as it no doubt sounded to his ears.

I press on, committed to the road I had started down, not able to turn back now. He tries to move, but I hold him in place, knuckles white with the force I have on his wrist. _Is _THIS_ what you want?_ I think at him as he winces.

_I just want you, Erik._

The voice isn't broken, but it makes me stop all the same. I groan and step back, confused. He was my friend. The last thing I wanted was to hurt him. And I would, I know I would, like that night. I can't do it _again_. I fall back onto the couch, as he turns.

_And when he woke and saw what he had done, he despaired._

"Not like this Charles. Not again." He makes his way over and drops down next to me. I wrap my arm around him and pull him to my chest, as he looks dejectedly at the floor. I kiss the top of his head as he clings to me, like I will disappear if he doesn't. "We'll figure it out."

If I don't sound convinced, it's only because I'm not. But still, I lie to give him comfort.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I watch him, surrounded by his usual flock of girls, encouraging them all. With a flick of my hand, I slam the gate to the pool closed, blocking him from sight, and rolling my shoulders, loosening them as I turn back to the water.

"It's fine for him to be covered in girls," I mutter, pulling the goggles over my eyes. I dive into the pool, trying to let everything go, digging my arms into the water, powering along the lengths. I just keep going, back and forth. Willing the water to wash away all the confusion Charles now caused me.

But that doesn't work, and finally I pull myself up on the edge, breathing deep and ripping the goggles from my head. I squeeze my eyes shut and wipe the water from my face, before leaning my forehead on my arm. Everything had changed so much. And I wasn't completely sure I liked it.

When we were alone, Charles would use his charm to its full extent, so much so, that even I was surprised at how he made me feel. I found myself enjoying his flirting, teasing and in some cases, outright and blatant advances. I found it easy to sling my arm around him, oddly enjoying the pressure, as he leant into me.

Tangling his fingers with mine until, you couldn't tell where my hand started and his ended. The way he would smile and bite his lower lip after we kissed. Keeping his eyes closed, just one second longer than necessary. It drove me crazy, in all the right ways.

But... It drove me crazy in all the wrong ways too.

As soon as two became more, he would act like I didn't exist. Using that same charm which, I now found so appealing, on any and all others around. Only talking to me, if another did, first. I shake my head, at that point I would usually leave him to it, just as I had today, hiding my frustration at his actions. As close as, whatever this was, had brought us, we had never been further apart.

My head churned with thoughts. That every touch, every look, every... kiss, was wrong. That my stomach shouldn't lurch, like it did when I saw him with those girls. That he shouldn't be attacking any who broke the imaginary one metre perimeter he had drawn around me.

That I shouldn't enjoy the jealous looks he still gave Emma when she smiles at me. That I shouldn't hold him so tightly, when we were alone. That all of this, was wrong. Even if it felt right.

I wanted to go back to when I would stumble into his room, early hours of the morning, too drunk to see straight and probably smelling of perfume from which ever girl I had been with that night. Finally falling asleep listening to him tell me I was wasting my life.

I craved those moments of normality, when we were once again just simply friends, with no pressure to be more or less. When we were still in sync, before that night that had knocked that sync out of rhythm.

_And when he woke and saw what he had done, he despaired._

I lift my head from my arm, pulling myself from the pool. I pick up my towel and wrap it around my waist, sighing yet again, as I move into the changing rooms. I change quickly and sigh as I make my way back to the pool. I chuckle humourlessly, a sigh would soon become my catch phrase. I would become known as "Erik the Sigh Man" after my prowess at sighing, rather than my current, "Erik the Shark Man" after my prowess as a swimmer.

"And a handsome shark you are." I pause at the voice, shoving the towel into my bag before turning to face it. I hadn't even noticed him enter the enclosed area. I look up at him, reclining in the bleachers, watching me with that look he reserved for when we were alone. I can't even find words to greet him. I just look, then shake my head and turn to walk away.

_Erik?_

"What do you want Charles? I have things to do." I don't look back, but do pause, waiting to see if anything would follow, or if he was just looking for a reaction. I hear him stand and approach, his fingers raising goose bumps, even through the layers of clothing, as he slides his hands around my waist.

_I want you._

I look at nothing, and then scowl, turning and shoving him, forcing him back a few steps.

"Enough of your games, Charles. I won't play anymore." My anger is real and I feel it surge up, frustration finally getting the better of me.

"Games?" He tilts his head and I throw my hands up.

"And you respond with another one."

"This is not a game, my friend."

"Then what are these little performances you keep putting on?" I point accusingly at the direction where he had been with the girls. He holds his hands out.

"It's not like that, Erik." I wave him away.

"If that's what you want," I look at him, earnest, "Then just tell me."

"No." Shock registers on his face, "You know what I want."

"Do I? Because it seems like what you want changes with the hour." He frowns.

_I told you I want _YOU._ I have wanted you, and only you, for most of my life. You know that._

I roll my eyes at his thought. _Actions speak louder than words, and yours, say otherwise._

"You _complete_ and utter imbecile." I give him a look of disbelief, my mouth dropping of its own accord. "How could you even..." He trails off, shaking his head, blue eyes blazing. He looks away and back again, face creased with anger. "I have done nothing that you yourself haven't done. Don't pretend you haven't."

"I have never done any of these things too you." I toss my head, confused.

"But you have." His shoulders drop, with his head. He takes a breath, "Maybe not in the last few weeks, but you have done each and every one of these things, over the years." His eyes flick up and he looks at me through his lashes.

"I didn't know."

"Now you do. Each and every girl you have been with, every time you came to me and told me about them... I know how you are." He looks away again. "Erik. I love you, but if you did to me, what you did to all of your previous girlfriends, now, knowing how I feel... I don't think I could handle it."

"You love me?" It slips out and his eyes widen, as though he hadn't intended for that to be in the sentence. He turns his face away and I close the gap between us, turning it back to me. "Charles."

He looks over my shoulder, like he had done on the roof, avoiding my eyes. I push my lips against his, the anger, confusion, and shame gone. When he pulls away, I try to follow, but he pushes me back.

"Company." He nods in the direction of the changing rooms. I don't look. The sync had returned, its rhythm beating stronger and more in unison than ever before. I shake my head, wrapping an arm around his waist, stopping him from moving further, and stepping into him.

"I don't care." His eyes finally find mine, and I smile. "Besides, my new boyfriend can make them, forget they saw anything." He smiles as the pair walk out of the changing rooms.

"Can he?" He asks mischievously and I nod, wrapping my other arm around his waist as well.

"He is very talented, you should meet him. I think you two would get along well." The pair are staring, I don't have to look to know, but I don't care.

"Yes, I think best friends should approve of each other's lovers." He murmurs.

"Love." I correct him. "There is only one." I kiss him again and this time he is more receptive. I press my forehead to his and he smiles, happily, before his eyes flick up to mine.

"Time to deal with the audience." I pull back as he raises his hand to his temple, keeping one arm around his waist, and raising the other to close the doors to the changing rooms. He looks at me from the corner of his eye and I grin at the onlookers.

"All yours, my dear."

FIN


End file.
